Last year LinkedIn added their social sharing buttons. With just a few lines of code your readers can share your content with their LinkedIn network.

The code is available from LinkedIn here. It's super easy! Also, if you have a specific URL you want shared no matter what page you place the button on there is a place to do. For example, if you place the share button on a bonus page (that is available only after opting in or purchasing) and you want your viewer to share their purchase but NOT the bonus URL. Use this option to place the share button on the bonus page but they will be alerting their network of the product/freebie. Cool huh?

If you are a WordPress user there is a great plugin that will add the coding to each page or post or both. This plugin has some great setting options.

If you are active on LinkedIn this will be a great addition to sharing your content on that network.

Happy sharing!

By W. Lau, who is interested in obtaining a forensic science education and has written about the ins and outs of attending a sonogram technician school.

Social networking sites, such as LinkedIn, are growing in popularity as a job hunter's resource. LinkedIn has more than 85 million professional users signed up to its site. A greater number of recruiters are also relying on social networking sites to find job candidates.

We know that one of the most effective methods to find a job candidate is through direct referrals from employees. Another method is through networking, which is what social networking sites, like LinkedIn, allow you to do.

So, is signing up with LinkedIn's basic account good enough for job hunting or is there value in paying LinkedIn for premium service?

The major differences between a LinkedIn Basic and a LinkedIn Premium account

• InMails: With InMails, a LinkedIn user is provided an allocated number of opportunities to send private messages to contacts that are not part of their network. This feature is advantageous when you want to contact a recruiter or HR contact that you have no other means to contact. Premium accounts include 3 to 50 InMails per month depending on the premium account you select.
  
  
• Profile Search Results: Premium accounts afford more search results. The premium account offer 300 to 700 results per search, compared to 100 results per search with the basic account.
  
  
• Profile Organizer: This feature provides you an allocated number of folders so that you can organize notes on particular contacts. Premium accounts include 5 to 25 folders depending on the premium account you select.

Whether you choose to maintain a basic account or spend and obtain a premium account with LinkedIn, if it helps you secure a job, the money you spend to upgrade your account will pay for itself. However, even if you don't upgrade to a premium account, LinkedIn offers many features that add value to your job hunt to help you get hired.

LinkedIn feature benefits for job hunters

• Recruiters Can Find You: A complete profile ensures you are part of recruiters' search results. Completely fill out your profile to enhance your profile visibility in search results. Adding key search terms within your profile that recruiters may use to find candidates will also improve your visibility.
  
  
• Networking Opportunities: Your network of contacts can help connect you to the right people for job opportunities, job advice and more. A premium account will also open opportunities for you to make direct contact with HR contacts and recruiters at companies of interest to you.
  
  
• Recommendations: Your contacts may write you recommendations, which HR contacts and recruiters can view from your profile to help better qualify you as a job candidate.

While LinkedIn offers an opportunity to be social and network, keep in mind that this particular networking site is meant for professional networking. All information, photos and links you post to your profile should continue to project a professional persona. You never know whether an HR contact or recruiter is viewing your profile. Even if you are job hunting through some other means, more and more employers are conducting audits of potential candidate through social networking sites to see if there is any information or impression they find that can help disqualify you for a position.